Russia has registered the world's first and only vaccine against COVID-19 for animals, Carnivac-Cov, Deputy Head of Rosselkhoznadzor Konstantin Savenkov told reporters.
The vaccine was developed by the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Federal Center for Animal Health" (FGBI “ARRIAH”), which is subordinate to the service.
"The clinical trials of Carnivac-Cov, which started last October, involved dogs, cats, arctic foxes, minks, foxes and other animals. Results of research allow to conclude on the harmlessness of vaccine and its high immunogenic activity since all tested vaccinated animals in 100% of cases developed antibodies to coronavirus", said the deputy head of the department.
Now the Rosselkhoznadzor scientists continue to study how long the immunity develops after the introduction of the drug. According to Savenkov, so far this figure is at least six months.
"Mass production of the vaccine could be launched as early as April on the basis of the country's largest platform for the production of animal drugs at the Federal Center for Animal Health," he added.
The deputy head of Rosselkhoznadzor explained that the vaccine is of particular importance because, as the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) notes, some animal species are susceptible to the coronavirus and cases of COVID-19 have been reported in many countries. In Russia so far, two cases of infection of cats with coronavirus have been officially established: in Moscow and Tyumen. According to Russian scientists, the application of a vaccine for animals may prevent the development of virus mutations, most often occurring during interspecies transmission of the pathogen.
"At the same time, it should be noted that there is no scientific evidence of transmission of the new coronavirus infection from animals to humans, this has been repeatedly reported by the World Health Organization (WHO)," Savenkov said. In addition, he stressed, animals can also be infected by some other species of the coronavirus family, different from COVID-19.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
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Based on materials from RIA Novosti